Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 22, 1911.djvu/212

 1 82 Populaj" Ritual of Great Feast in Morocco,

Arabs were great believers in the magic influence of certain periods. Only thus can we explain the remarkable institution known as the " sacred months," that is to say, months during which a universal peace prevailed, no vengeance could be executed, and even the murderer enjoyed security. And combined with the sacrifice there were several ceremonies which apparently had a purificatory character ; at 'Arafat the assembled pilgrims made merry with lighted torches and in the neighbourhood of Mina they threw some pebbles on three different heaps of stones, a practice which the Muhammedans say is directed against Satan." But it is not my intention in the present article to discuss the ritual of the Meccan pilgrimage, although the Moorish celebra- tion of the Great Feast possibly may throw some light on it.

Edward Westermarck.

seq. Wellhausen, Reste arabischen Heidentutns^ 1897, pp. 80, 98. Burton, op. cit., vol. ii, pp. 203 et seq.
 * ^Noldeke, 'Arabs (Ancient),' in Hastings, op. cit., vol. i, pp. 668 et